The Healing

CHAPTER TEN


Hermione stood in the Hogsmeade Deli and waited for her sandwich to be ready. She had had to come into town for Sebastian’s checkup with the medi-witch, surprised to see the small town overrun with students. Sebastian was nestled tight against her chest in his little carrier, his wide black eyes taking in everything around him. He was so alert, so curious it amazed her that he was only a month old.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead, smiling as his fist wrapped in her hair.
“No, no love, let me have that back.” She cooed as she untangled her curls from his little fingers.

“Well my word, Hermione Granger!” Hermione stiffened when she heard the familiar voice of Professor McGonagall behind her. “Professor Snape, come see who it is!”

“Oh gods!” Hermione gasped as she clutched Sebastian tightly.

“Will you not turn around and say hello Ms. Granger.” Hermione closed her eyes and fought her body’s reaction to the sound of his voice. It had been so long, she wasn’t ready for this, she wasn’t prepared. What was he doing there? He never came with the students on Hogsmeade weekend.

“Hermione dear, are you alright?” McGonagall laid her hand on Hermione’s shoulder gently. She took a deep breath, and the tears couldn’t be held back as she turned slowly to face them.

“I’m fine Professor, how good to see you.” She said softly, the tears spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. McGonagall gasped softly when she saw the baby in his little carrier. Severus just stared blankly at her.

“Who is this?” McGonagall asked as she reached forward to push the blanket away from the baby’s face.

“My son, Sebastian.” The moment the blanket slid from is little body, Severus stepped back, gasping as he fell into a table, knocking over the drinks and food of the kids sitting there. McGonagall’s hand fluttered to her chest as he looked between Hermione and Severus, then little Sebastian.

“Oh good heavens!” People were beginning to gather round and stare. Severus’s reaction had garnered their attention as he was normally emotionless, and without reaction to anything.

“Hey, that baby looks like the Professor!” One of the seventh year students called out. Severus righted himself and stared at Hermione, and the baby in her arms.

“I…I’m sorry…” She was crying, her head tucked low.

“Severus, I think you should escort Ms. Granger outside, I don’t think this is the place for you to talk.” McGonagall said as she tried to usher the students away.

“Come along Hermione.” He said roughly as he grasped her arm and led her out of the deli and down the street to the park. He led her to a park bench nestled beneath a tree by the pond and sat beside her.

“I don’t know what to say.” She said as she loosened the straps on Sebastian’s carrier.

“The boy is mine.” It was not a question. Severus could see clearly the resemblance. There was no doubt about his paternity.

“Yes, you are his father.” She answered. She had never intended to tell him of the baby, but she would not lie to him about it now that he had seen him.

“You weren’t going to tell me were you?” He asked.

“No.”

“You didn’t think I had the right to know that I had fathered a child?” He asked his shock over seeing the child turning to anger and hurt.

“I didn’t figure you would want to know, you said you didn’t want children.” She said, though she knew the excuse was flimsy at best.

“Regardless, what did you think I would do, turn him away?” Severus couldn’t take his eyes from the baby. He was beautiful.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I thought. It wasn’t as though he was planned, believe me, I was more shocked than you can possibly imagine to find out I was pregnant.” She said as she removed Sebastian from the carrier.

“I wouldn’t have turned him away.” He said softly as he reached out and touched one tiny hand. Sebastian wrapped his little fist around Severus’s finger and turned to suck it into his mouth. “Is he trying to bite me?” Severus asked, pulling his finger away.

“No, he’s getting hungry.” She said. “Would you like to hold him?” She asked. She felt so raw, yet somehow relieved to have Severus meet his son. He shrugged off his cloak and scooted closer to her.

“I don’t want to hurt him…” He said as Hermione offered his son into his arms.

“Just support his head, and hold him close so he stays warm.” She settled Sebastian into his arms, and began crying as she watched him hold his child for the first time.

“Don’t cry Hermione, you know I can’t bear it.” He said, still looking at the baby. He ruffled the soft, spiky hair and looked into eyes exactly like his own in amazement.

“I’m sorry, I think I’ve been crying for almost a year now.” She laughed softly as she wiped her cheeks and blew her nose. “I have missed you.” She said.

Severus looked away from Sebastian and stared at her. Her eyes were red, and slightly puffy from crying, and her hair was beginning to pull free from her braid.
“I missed you too.” He said, reaching forward to push a stray curl from her face. “I had heard that you went back to London, I didn’t even imagine this.” He said as he shifted the baby closer to his chest.

“I was almost four months along when I found out about him.” She said. “He was born on September third in London.” She smiled as she stared at her son. “He was big, almost nine pounds. He came fast though; I was only in labor for six hours.”

“Who was with you?” He asked, wishing he could have been there.

“No one, I was alone.” She said quietly.

“I wish you had told me Hermione, I wouldn’t have turned you away, I wouldn’t have denied him.” He said.

“I thought I was doing the right thing. You had already been through so much, and when we spoke about it, you were adamant about not having a family.” She said, shrugging slightly.

“It doesn’t matter now, seems I have a family.” He said. “What is his full name?”

“Sebastian Brian Snape. When I registered his birth with the Ministry they insisted he have your surname.” She told him.

“I’m glad, if they hadn’t, I would have insisted that it be changed.” Hermione chuckled softly as Severus tugged one little sock off of Sebastian’s foot and stared at his little toes.

“He’s perfect, ten toes, ten fingers; all his little bits are where they should be.” She said.

“I never thought to be a father. I certainly wouldn’t have thought a child of mine would be so….attractive.” He said as he struggled to put the sock back on the baby’s foot. Hermione took the sock and did it for him.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting to be a mother just yet, but I love every minute of it.” She said, a bright smile on her face as she looked at their son.

“Are you….do you need money?” he asked, not sure how to broach the subject tactfully.

“No, my parents left me quite a bit.” She could see he was uncomfortable asking.

“I want to be his father.” Severus said quietly.

“You are his father.” She put her hand on his shoulder.

“No, I want to be with him, I want to help raise him.”

“Severus, that’s a big decision to make right now, you only just met him.” Hermione said. She wanted him to consider what being Sebastian’s father meant before he made any decisions. She didn’t want him to get involved only to change his mind later.

“It doesn’t matter, he’s mine.” Severus leaned forward and placed a light kiss on the baby’s forehead, intoxicated by the soft, powdery scent of the infant. “Does anyone else know that I am the father?”

“Yes, the Weasley’s know, and Harry of course. I suspect Lucius Malfoy knows.” She said, feeling him tense beneath her hand instantly.

“How?”

“I saw him coming out of a bookstore, my bag tore and he held Sebastian while Draco picked up my things.”

“They were civil?” He asked incredulously.

“Yes actually, he was very gentle with the baby; he even said he was handsome. Then he mentioned that he looked familiar.” She didn’t need to say more.

“I have to admit, there is no way to deny that he is mine. I knew it the moment Minerva pulled that blanket back.” He said smiling. “I’ve only seen a few of my own baby pictures, but I can tell you that he looks identical, though my hair never stood up like his.” He said, running his fingers over the silky hair and trying to make it lay down. He laughed when it stood right back up.

“I think he gets that from me.” They both turned when they heard the approach of a few students.

“Hermione?” Ginny Weasley, who was now in her seventh year, stepped up, her brow furrowed with concern. “Is everything alright?” She asked, staring at baby Sebastian cradled in Professor Snape’s arms.

“I assume you knew about my son, Ms. Weasley?” Severus asked, no malice at all in his tone.

“Yes, sir, I am quite fond of Bastian.” She said, smiling fondly at the baby.

“You didn’t think to tell me about him?” He asked.

“It wasn’t my place sir, but I knew you would find out soon enough sir, there was no hiding who is father is, anyone who knew you would be able to see it.” Ginny answered.

“Twenty points to Gryffindor, for loyalty Ms. Weasley, you may go now.” Ginny looked to Hermione to make certain all was well before she walked off with her friends.

“Would you like to come by tonight Severus, we can talk a little more privately at my house, without giggling students watching us from behind the bushes.” She said, gesturing towards the kids trying to hide their eavesdropping.

He stood, and stalked over to where they were hiding and watched them scatter. Hermione laughed, he didn’t exactly look threatening with the baby in his arms, but the students were terrified of him none the less. He walked back to the bench and handed the baby back to his mother, though he did not wish to let him go.

“I think that would be good. Where do you live?” She told him the address and what time to arrive.

“I’ll see you then. I will see you later little one.” He said, running his hand over the baby’s fluffy hair.

“We’ll be waiting, Daddy.” Hermione said, smiling when he realized what she had called him.

“Oh boy.” His pressed his hand to his stomach, as a rush of heat swept over him. “I’m someone’s father.” He said, shaking his head in disbelief. He offered her his arm and walked them back into town, ignoring the astonished faces of the people watching them.


**Domine-Thank you, you are a doll :) I would love to chat sometime! Sometimes only another military wife can understand what we go through.


*******So, you knew it had to happen, if we are going to get them back together,,,,and back in the sack....he had to meet the baby.....